Vacuum release seal for a closure and container package

Abstract

A seal for a closure assembly that includes a seal ring; and a carrier being coupled to the seal ring, extending circumferentially and radially outwardly of the seal ring to a radially outer periphery, and having a circumferentially extending pocket in the radially outer periphery adapted to release a vacuum pressure.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A closure assembly, comprising:
 a skirt including a cylindrical wall having an upper portion that includes a radially, inwardly extending flange and a lower portion that includes a seal retaining bead and a plurality of cams extending radially inwardly from an inner surface of the wall; 
 a base; and 
 a seal for the closure assembly, including:
 a seal ring; and 
 a carrier being coupled to the seal ring, extending circumferentially and radially outwardly of the seal ring to a radially outer periphery, and having a circumferentially extending pocket in the radially outer periphery and at least one of a spring portion or a cam follower in the pocket; 
 
 wherein the seal further comprises a plurality of closure-driven features located radially inwardly of and spaced circumferentially along the radially outer periphery, at least one of the plurality of closure-driven features includes the cam follower or the spring portion, 
 wherein the base and the seal are captively carried between the flange and the seal retaining bead, wherein the circumferential location of the cams corresponds to the plurality of closure-driven features, wherein the cams are engageable with the plurality of closure-driven features. 
 
     
     
       2. The closure assembly set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the seal ring is comprised of a first material and the carrier is comprised of a second material more rigid than the first material. 
     
     
       3. The closure assembly set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the seal ring is comprised of at least one of the following: a silicone material, a plastic material, a rubber material, a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), or any combination thereof, wherein the carrier is comprised of a thermoplastic polymer. 
     
     
       4. The closure assembly set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the spring portion has a longitudinally extending body having an uneven exterior surface. 
     
     
       5. The closure assembly set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the body has one of a helical-shape or sinusoidal-shape. 
     
     
       6. The closure assembly set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of the pocket, wherein each closure-driven feature comprises a first end and a second end having a corresponding pocket therebetween, wherein at least one of the plurality of closure-driven features includes the spring portion. 
     
     
       7. The closure assembly set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of closure-driven features include at least three closure-driven features, each of which include the spring portion, wherein the spring portion extends from the first end towards the second end within the pocket. 
     
     
       8. The closure assembly set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the second end of at least one of the plurality of closure-driven features an abutment surface. 
     
     
       9. The closure assembly set forth in  claim 6 , wherein at least one other of the plurality of closure-driven features includes the cam follower. 
     
     
       10. The closure assembly set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the spring portion includes a plurality of fingers coupled to the pocket and extending radially outwardly, wherein at least one finger extends partially circumferentially towards the first end or the second end. 
     
     
       11. The closure assembly set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the cam follower includes a ramp. 
     
     
       12. The closure assembly set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the cam follower further includes a leaf spring circumferentially extending from the ramp and defining a vacuum release passage between the leaf spring and the pocket. 
     
     
       13. The closure assembly set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the inner surface of the cylindrical wall includes a base retaining bead extending radially inwardly to captively carry the base between the base retaining bead and the flange. 
     
     
       14. The closure assembly set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the seal retaining bead includes a plurality of segments, wherein each of the plurality of cams are positioned at a gap defined by two proximate segments. 
     
     
       15. A closure assembly for a container, comprising:
 a skirt comprising a cylindrical wall having a plurality of cams extending radially inwardly from the wall; and 
 a seal received within the skirt, the seal comprising:
 a seal ring; and 
 a carrier coupled to the seal ring, the carrier having a plurality of pockets circumferentially spaced along an outer periphery of the carrier, wherein at least one of the plurality of pockets includes a feature adapted to displace the seal radially inwardly when the feature is engaged by at least one of the plurality of cams of the skirt. 
 
 
     
     
       16. A package, comprising:
 a container having a neck finish extending to an axial sealing surface that defines a container mouth; and 
 the closure assembly of  claim 15  sealable to the neck finish. 
 
     
     
       17. The closure assembly set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the seal ring is comprised of a first material and the carrier is comprised of a second material more rigid than the first material. 
     
     
       18. The closure assembly set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the seal ring comprises a spring portion located in the circumferentially extending pocket. 
     
     
       19. The closure assembly set forth in  claim 18 , wherein the spring portion includes a plurality of fingers coupled to the pocket and extending radially outwardly. 
     
     
       20. The closure assembly set forth in  claim 18 , wherein the carrier includes a plurality of closure-driven features located radially inwardly of and spaced circumferentially along the radially outer periphery, wherein each closure-driven feature comprises a first end and a second end having the pocket therebetween, wherein at least one of the plurality of closure-driven features includes the spring portion. 
     
     
       21. The closure assembly set forth in  claim 20 , wherein one of the plurality of closure-driven features includes a cam follower. 
     
     
       22. A package, comprising:
 a container having a neck finish extending to an axial sealing surface that defines a container mouth, the neck finish having a plurality of retention features; and 
 the closure assembly of  claim 15 , 
 wherein the seal ring of the seal is compressed between the base and the axial sealing surface of the container when the container retention features are engaged with a plurality of corresponding retention features on the closure assembly, and 
 wherein, when the skirt is rotated with respect to the container, then at least one of the plurality of cams engages the feature to release vacuum pressure. 
 
     
     
       23. The package set forth in  claim 22 , wherein, after the vacuum pressure is released, a spring portion of the seal is configured to resiliently and substantially return to a pre-compressed state thereby rotating the seal independently of the skirt, wherein, in response to the rotation of the skirt, the local region of the seal elastically returns to a pre-deformation state. 
     
     
       24. The package set forth in  claim 23 , wherein at least one of the plurality of closure-driven features on the seal includes an abutment surface limiting the compression of the spring portion.